Follower plate for filing cases and the like



Feb. 3, 1942.

J. 5. BURDICK 2,271,678

FOLLOWER PLATE FOR FILING CASES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORN E Y5.

Feb. 3, 1942. J. 5. BURDICK 2,271,678

FOLLOWBR PLATE FOR FILING CASES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "\TTORNERS.

Patented Feb. 3, 1942 FOLLO'WER PLATE FOR FILING GASES AND THE LIKE I John S. Burdick, NorthMuskegon, Mich assignor to The Shaw-Walker Company, Muskegon, Mich, a corporation of-Michigan Application December 15, 1939,.Serial No. 309,338 .1 Claim. (c1. 129-31) This invention relates to improvements in follower plates for drawers of filing cases andthe like, and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

The object of the invention is to provide afollower plate for use in the drawer of a filing case or cabinet which may be readily and easily adjusted to any position in the drawerand may be quickly applied to or removed therefrom, without the use of screws, bolts or other attaching devices.

The advantages of the new follower plate will appear as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings: v

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a filing cabinet with drawers, one of which is withdrawn to show my improved follower plate appliedtherein.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale showing a drawer removed from said filing cabinet and provided with the novel and improved follower plate.

Figure 3 is a view representing a transverse section through Figure 2 in a plane indicated by the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the follower plate looked at as it appears when viewed from the front of the drawer, with one side wall of the drawer shown in sectional perspective.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the follower plate viewed from the rear.

Figure 6 is a view showing on an enlarged scale a width somewhat less than the width of the drawer and is of a'depth to project above the upon itself at its upper margin to, provide a de-- pending flange I9 extending the length of the drawer and spaced from the proximate face of the side wall of which it is a part. Said flange is provided on its bottom edge with a' plurality of spaced rounded notches 20.

The follower plate is provided at each lateral edge with horizontal shoulders projecting therefrom disposed in position to engage the notches 20 in the flanges IQ of the side walls of the drawer when the follower plate is in an approximately vertical position. Said shoulders are preferably provided by clips 21, 2| which are riveted, spotwelded or otherwise fixed to the rear face of the plate l6 (see Figures 3, 5 and 6) Said clips project into the space between the flanges l9, l9 and the side walls of the drawer where they are provided with rearwardly extending flanges Zi a fragmentary section through one side of the drawer taken in a vertical plane back of the follower plate.

Figure '7 is a view showing a partialsection through the follower plate in a plane parallel to the side wall of the drawer, illustrating a way of shifting the plate when it is to be adjusted to a different position.

Figure 8 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a part of the follower plate associated with the side wall, representing a somewhat modified form of the invention.

Referring now to that embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, and particularly in Figures 1 to 7 thereof: 10 indicates a filing cabinet of any familiar construction provided with a plurality of drawers ll withdrawable through suitable openings in the front of the cabinet in a familiar manner. Said drawer has a front wall or head [2 which is adapted to close the drawer opening; a rear wall l3; 9. bottom wall l4; and side walls I5, l5.

It indicates the improved follower plate. Said follower plate is made of sheet metal. It is of 2 l which project above the top edges of the clips 2 l, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, and act to center the follower plate in position between the side walls of the drawer.

To introduce the follower plate into the drawer it is inserted between its side walls in an inclined position to bring the shoe ll towards the head of the drawer as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, with the top edges of the clips in position to be engaged in one of the notches 20 of the flanges I9, and with the rearwardly extending flanges engaged in thespace between the side walls and the depending flanges I9, l9 thereof. The bottom of the plate is then shifted towards the rear of the drawer to the position shown in full lines in Figure 2, with the top edges of the clips 2| engagedin notches 20 of the depending flange and the shoe I1 wedged against the bottom wall M of the drawer.

To adjust the follower plate IE to a different position, the bottom of said plate is pulled or pushed towards the head of the drawer to disengage the foot of the plate from the bottom wall of the drawer and the top edges of the clips 2! from the notches 20, whereupon said clips may be moved to engage notches spaced to one side or the other (to the rear as shown in Figure 7 in dotted lines) of the first position of the plate.

the plate upon an axis between its vertical sides it may be readily withdrawn from the drawer.

Instead of making the depending notchedflanges [9, I9 integral with the side walls I5, l of the drawer, these may be made as part of the reinforcing U-shaped strip I9 as shown in Figure 8, where I9 indicates the leg of the U which corresponds to the depending notched flange in Figure 3, and l9 the other leg of the U which is secured to the outside face of the associated' side wall I5 of the drawer.

To facilitate the manipulation of the follower plate I6 in the manner above described, said plate is preferably provided with a transversely extending hand hole 22 by means of which it may be grasped at a point near the shoe H. The upturned flange l8 on the shoe l1 acts not only to finish ofl the shoe at its rear edge so that it may be easily moved along the bottom wall when the plate is being brought to operative position, but it also presents another means by which the plate may be gripped and operated.

The object of flange I1 is to provide a spring bottom shoe for the main plate [6 and made at such an angle in relation to I6 that point Il will first come in contact with bottom [4, thus making a spring contact between I 6 and [4 before l6 is brought tightly against H.

While in describing the invention I have referred to certain details of mechanical construcclaim.

I claim as my invention:

In a drawer for filing cases, said drawer having side and bottom walls and being open at the top, means providing depending flanges with longitudinally spaced notches at the tops of said side walls and spaced from the proximate faces of said side walls, a follower plate provided with laterally extending shoulders engageable with the notches in said, depending flanges and a shoe en- JOHN s} BURDICK. 

